In our final segment on our updates on the BC government’s plans to begin adding PST on yarn and fibre starting October 2026, myself and another local fibre art business owner were invited to speak to our local MLA last Friday. Our riding of Vancouver-Hastings is represented by the Deputy Premier and Attorney General of British Columbia, the Honourable Niki Sharma and last Friday she and Amy Walker, artist-in-residence at the Adanac Park Fieldhouse, myself and two local constituents/knitters, Kate and Laura, had a tea together to chat about art and taxes.

Realizing there are so many poignant arguments to be made against the removal of this PST exception on yarn and fibre we carefully summarized what we wanted to communicate into four main points:

• Culture, Wellbeing and Community Connection: Community and culture are an essential service – not a frivolous escapism, not a distraction, but the centre of wellbeing;
• Small Business: Provides more than product, builds communities; this end-user tax will increase prices that will absolutely lead to less spending and the closure of local businesses;
• Social Good vs Social Harms: Not a market that will generate significant revenue, but will cause significant financial difficulties to those affected – women, makers, low-income people;
• Environment & Sustainability: Making and mending clothing contributes significantly to people taking care of their clothing and keeping items longer and out of landfills.

The discussion was thoughtful and earnest. We communicated the importance of accessibility to fibre art materials that help facilitate community and culture, and in reply we were given insight on the limits to input on unpopular social issues like tax reform. But our concerns were heard, with hopes that some of the above constructs are voiced in parliamentary discussions on the concerns of its constituents.

Here is our request for action: As constituents of Vancouver-Hastings, we would like your help and support in preserving the PST exemption on sales of fabric, yarn, fibres, and thread. We believe the activities of individuals and groups using these materials (for hand skill-building and making clothing essentials) have substantial benefits to health and wellbeing that will be negatively impacted by the 7% additional charge. With this we have walked the line of participating in democracy. There are many ways you can too.

Additionally we left a tactile reminder of what locally owned and operated business in fact means for a community in the hands of our MLA. The bag of love in the photo is filled with a variety of hats, mitts and scarves hand made by Friends of Baaad Anna’s intended to be distributed to people in the community that can benefit from a hand-made gift. We left that with a note for Niki and her staff to hand out within their constituency to any one in need.